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Student Spotlight: Christopher Savich

calender iconDec 08, 2017
chris at rotovap

StudentSpotlight:ChristopherSavich

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Eachsummer,severalstudentshavetheopportunitytolearnmoreabouttheirfieldofstudy(andthemselves)bydoinginternships,researchjobs,orREUs(ResearchExperienceforUndergraduates).Wewillbehighlightingtheirenrichingsummerexperiencesperiodically.

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Name:ChristopherSavich
Major: Chemistry
Minor:None
Year: Senior
Typeofsummerprogram:Full-timePaidSummerResearch
Location:LSSUwithDr.Mosey
Summaryof project:Synthesisofnovel3,4-Dihydroquinazolinesforthetestingofanti-cancerandanti-bacterialproperties.
Describeatypicalday:Typicalactivitiesincludedthesynthesisofnovelcompounds,thepurificationofthem,andfinallytheircharacterization.Avarietyofchemicalreactionsweredonetosynthesizethesecompounds,sometakingmultipledaysofreactiontime.Then,purificationwouldbedonewhichalmostalwaysincludedflashcolumnchromatographybutoftenincludedothermethodssuchastheusageofarotaryevaporator,basicsilicaplug,andfiltration.CharacterizationofthecompoundswouldtypicallyuseCarbonNuclearMagneticResonanceandHydrogenNuclearMagneticResonancespectroscopytodeterminetheidentityofthecompoundinquestionandtoassesspurity.Meltingpointswouldalsobetakenifthecompoundsweresolids.Usually,onlyaboutthreeorfouroftheactivitieslistedwouldbeperformedaday.
Thingsthestudentlearnedabouttheirfield:
  • Ibecamemoreacquaintedwithmanyofthehandsonproceduresinvolvingthesynthesis,purification,andcharacterizationoforganiccompounds.OneexampleofthiswouldbethatIlearnedhowtoprepareanduseWittigreagentsandtomake3,4-Dihydroquinazolines;theformerbeinganintermediateandthelatterbeingthedesiredendcompounds.
  • Ibecameacquaintedwiththeusageofcatalystsforhydrogenationandgeneralreaction.10%PalladiumonCarbonwasusedalongsidehydrogengastocatalyticallyreducearomaticnitro-compoundstoaromaticamines.
  • Ibecameverywellacquaintedwiththeusageofflashcolumnchromatography,whereincompoundsaredissolvedinorganicsolventsarepassedthroughatubeofsilicaslurryinordertoseparatethecompoundsbasedonpolarity.WhileIwasalreadyacquaintedwithflashcolumnchromatographybeforemyjoboverthesummerIbecameevenmoresoduringit.
Thingsthestudentlearnedabouthimself:
  • Ilearnedhowtocook.Ilivedonmyownoverthesummer,butoncampusatLSSU.BeforethisIhadneverhadtocookformyself,soitwasafunadventure.Iendedupcomingtolovecookingformyself.
  • Ilearnedhowtobudgetmoney.Iwaspaidminimumwageandwantedtosaveupmoneytouseovertheschoolyear.Learninghowtolivefrugally(Bynecessity)wasinterestingandI’mgladIdiditnotonlyforthelearningexperiencebutalsobecauseInowhavemoneytouseovertheschoolyear.
  • Ilearnedhowtoliveonmyindependentoffamilyorschool.